Love From Afar
by HerenyaHope
Summary: He wasn't a stalker. At least, that's what he'd been telling himself. If anything, he was a hard-core junkie, and she was his heroin. Equiara AU Rated T just to be safe.


**NEW STORY WOOWOO!**

**I love Equius/Aradia and I think there ought to be more stuff of them out there. This is a fic I'd been mulling over for a while that I finally sat down and worked on it. Any who, on with the story!**

He wasn't a stalker.

That's what he'd been telling himself. Sure, he seemed to fit all the criteria associated with a stalker, and if caught he would surely be labelled as such. But he wasn't a stalker. At least, that's what he kept telling himself. Even he was starting to realize just how unorthodox his actions were. However, despite the warning bells in his head over his behaviour, he doubted that he was capable of stopping. The object of his covert observations had him in a vice-like grip, despite said object's obliviousness to the hold on him. He wasn't a stalker, that's what he'd been telling himself. If anything he was a hard-core junkie, and she was his heroin.

It all started outside a small gas station. As night set in, the florescent white glow coming from the front window, and a flickering street lamp, swarms of moths dancing around its light, were all that lit the small parking lot. Leaning against the pole was a girl, humming absentmindedly as she watched the moths flutter in a frenzy around the streetlamp.

She had on baggy green, knee-length shorts that made her already skinny legs look like toothpicks. The weathered jean jacket she wore over her pink camisole was covered in assorted patches, some of them to cover actual tears while others were there simply for decorative purposes. The girl's mop of curly black hair was poorly tamed under her favourite hat, which was a knitted blue cap designed to look like a cat, with white dots for the eyes and nose and two triangular nubs on top that looked like ears.

She was very petite and only 5'2. One could mistake her for a young girl, but she was in fact a 20 year old woman, though her personality and the word 'woman' did not seem to fit one another. She paid no mind to the group of fellows approaching, thinking that they were just going into the gas station store. She became aware of them, however, when they stopped right in front of her.

There were three young men, all around college age. There was nothing particularly striking about these gentlemen, and the only thing that stuck out to the girl was the distinct air of booze and tomfoolery wafting off them. She scrunched up her button nose at the bitter smell of alcohol, but otherwise ignored them.

"Hey ther'" one of the boys slurred. Apparently that sentence was hilarious because the other two began to snicker. The girl refused to make eye contact, which to most humans meant she didn't want to start a conversation. However once alcohol was introduced the average male became something slightly less human, so the signal was not received.

"How're you doin'?"

"I'm fine," the girl responded stiffly. She didn't want to be bothered with them, but she didn't want to be rude. She crossed her arms and looked away, but she could sense that they hadn't left.

"Got any spare change? Me 'nd my bros are gettin'…thirsty" Again a chortle of drunken laughter followed.

"No I don't," she replied curtly.

"C'mon, surely ya' got some bucks to sp're." The girl followed his eyes and saw that they were locked on her small shoulder bag.

She took a step back. "Leave me alone," she warned.

"Ooh! The kitty has claws!" The comment was obviously a reference to her hat, which she pulled down in embarrassment. She glared at the boys but it looked more like a pout on her less than intimidating face.

"Just leave me alone." The dopey smile on the leader's face began to fade, and his eyes grew dark.

"Listen kitty, give me the cash!"

"No!"

"Give it!" The girl shrieked when the boy lunged at her with the intention of stealing her bag.

The boy's fingers barely grazed the purse before a solid object sent him flying onto the rough pavement. That object was a fist. The other two didn't even have time to swear or process what had happened before they were subjected to a barrage of punches. What felt like an eternity to them lasted only seconds, and left them all crumpled on the ground. The leader was the only one left conscious, though just barely. He let out a small moan, half-lidded eyes slowly following the pair of feet slowly approaching. When the feet stopped they were so close to his face that he could smell the leather of the black combat boots. He slowly lifted his head, the lower half of it covered in blood pouring from his broken nose, to get an eye at his attacker.

He couldn't see the man's eyes behind his dark sunglasses, but he didn't need to in order to feel the pure malice and authority radiating off of him. He had to be at least 6''5, with arms like tree limbs bulging under his black tank-top. The dark-skinned man swept a lock of his raven hair behind his ear to join the rest of his long mop. It appeared the smack-down he had just brought on hadn't tired him in the least, and the only blood on him was on his fists.

The brute of a man cracked his knuckles, the ominous sound making the drunken man flinch.

In a flash the dark man had picked the drunk up by his collar. The drunkard yelped and he kicked his feet helplessly in the air. The long haired man pulled him closer, which caused the drunk to stiffen in fear.

The man parted his lips, revealing two missing teeth on the top and bottom, and when he spoke his voice was a low, whispery growl.

"I suggest you return to whatever puss-filled crevice you and you cohorts crawled out of." It was the cold, monotonous tone in the brute's voice that had him cowering. Wide eyed and fearful, the drunken man nodded furiously blubbering out a slurred apology. The dark man dropped him unceremoniously to the ground, where he swiftly passed out, whether it was from fear or blood loss was uncertain.

"Next time, you are coming inside with me!"

"But Equiuuuuuuus! That place smells funny!" The small girl whined. The man, Equius, eyed her incredulously from behind his glasses.

"Nepeta, you were nearly assaulted tonight, next time you are coming in with me regardless of whatever odours may be present." Nepeta rolled her eyes and playfully bumped Equius' shoulder with hers.

"Alright, you big worry-wart," she said. The two walked down the fairly empty street, arms full of grocery bags. Nepeta carried the smaller bags while Equius had the bulk of the groceries, though with his strength they were hardly a hindrance to him. The two roommates were quite the pair, appearing to be polar opposites. Equius' height and size made him quite an intimidating presence, while Nepeta's short stature and bubbly aura was quite a stark contrast.

Most of what Equius was carrying was fruits and vegetables, as well as two jugs of milk, which were quite heavy. One would think that a man like Equius was a meat lover, and he certainly looked like he was packing the protein, but he was in fact a vegetarian. Surprisingly, it was Nepeta that was the hard core carnivore. Despite her size, she had been known for eating full racks of ribs, eighteen chicken wings, and could down a steak even a grown man would find hard to finish. However, since steaks were hardly in their budget, her bags carried a variety of lunch meats instead.

As they walked home, Nepeta chatted away about work and school. When she wasn't in school, she worked at the local pet shop, as well as volunteering at the local animal shelter. She loved animals, cats in particular, and enjoyed spending as much time with them as possible. While she chatted away, Equius was content to just listen to his friend talk. Neither of them owned a car, so most of the time they walked to wherever they had to go, but that was alright with Equius, since he liked times like this, where they would just walk together and he'd listen to Nepeta talk about whatever was on her always cluttered mind.

When the two turned a corner they were met by the sound of muffled music and the sight of lights. People in costume were spilling out of cars and into the old movie theatre that had been turned into a club. The sign above the door spelled out in bright letters,

**COSTUME PARTY HOSTED BY TROLL OMEGA: HU STUDENTS ONLY**

"Did you know about that, Nepeta?" asked Equius.

"Yeah, one of the sororities decided to have a party, and people have been talking about it for weeks," Nepeta explained. Nepeta knew about the party since she was a freshman at Hussie University, studying to be a veterinarian. She wasn't particularly popular, and so wasn't invited to the party. However, she wasn't very disappointed, even though the RPing enthusiast loved any excuse to get in costume. She thought a night at home with her best friend was just as fun as any party.

She continued to talk about an incident at work involving one of the parrots escaping and pooping on one of her co-workers, garnishing the tale with many flailing arm motions and sound effects. Equius was listening, though as she began getting off track and began going on about how her co-worker and some homeless guy that she "shipped him with," her rambling faded into background noise. Equius' eyes glanced absentmindedly to the costumed college kids entering and leaving the party.

It was in that millisecond that everything changed. Whatever he felt in that moment would best be described as being hit by a truck, before being dropped in a vat of cold water that gave off the sensation of nirvana.

There was only one word that filled Equius' head to its full capacity.

Beautiful. She was just so beautiful.

She was part of a group that had stepped out of the taxi and walked towards the venue, but the others might as well have not existed. Every other life form on that street had disappeared, and there was only her.

Her skin was pure white, obviously painted but well done, and shimmered slightly under the flickering streetlamp. Long, luscious hair in thick coils flowed down her waist and bounced with each step she took. Her hair was a raven black, but when the light hit it there shimmers of crimson undertones laced in her midnight tresses. A chain of blood red roses was woven into her hair, with a small white fishnet veil connected to it. It was like the veil of a mourner, but was to the side and left her face to be seen by the world.

She was wearing a dress out of a Victorian romance novel. The snow white material had intricate spindly patterns, and was adorned with red ruffles and lace. The corseted top showed off her ample bosom, but not so much that it took away the class and dignity she carried with each of her high heeled steps. The front of the dress was frayed with holes in it, and exposed that she was wearing laced up high heeled boots.

In such an ornate outfit, or in those precarious heels, anyone else would have had a hard time manoeuvring in such a costume. But for her, she might as well have been naked. Every one of her steps was precise but effortlessly executed, and she walked confidently and gracefully like ghostly maiden she was portraying. She turned back to one of her friends, and laughed at something she said. Her plump full lips were coated in deep crimson lipstick, shiny like lacquer, and her doll-like eyes were fanned by full dark lashes.

Equius was struck down to his very core by this stunning, smouldering creature. Time seemed to slow to a halt and speed up all at the same time. He felt his heart race and himself begin to sweat. Never before had a person had this kind of effect on the man, and he was trying to figure out what this meant. She had casted a spell on him, and he was a slave to her image. If he even desired to take his eyes off her, it was doubtful that he would have been able to.

Sound faded to a dull hum. He didn't even here his name being called until-

"EQUIUS!" Like a whip, the world came snapping back. Time had meaning once more, euphoria had been doused by the cold water of reality, and Equius found himself sprawled out on the pavement. The large man blinked, trying to figure out what happened, when a small hand slapped his cheek.

"What the hell were you doing?!" Equius looked up and saw Nepeta glaring down at her face trying to decide whether it wanted to look worried, or pissed off_._

"Come again?" he asked dazed.

"Why did you just stop in the middle of the street? That car almost hit you!"

"Really?" Equius didn't remember a car. In fact, he didn't remember much at all.

"Yes _really_! You almost got ran over you big oaf!"

"…oh." Equius hadn't realized that he'd stopped walking, let alone that he'd almost been run over.

"Sorry, I was distracted," he apologized sheepishly.

"What on earth could have made you stop in the middle of the road?"

Equius looked across the street, and thought that he saw a flash of red disappear inside the old theatre. For some reason it made him feel empty inside.

"Nothing," he answered distantly.

The two continued their journey home, for once in silence. Equius would have felt concerned that Nepeta was stewing in angry silence, but beneath his stoic exterior the cog in his mind were working overtime.

'_Who was that girl? What did she do to me? Why was I just standing there?'_

_ 'Why do I want to see her again?'_

These questions fluttered around Equius' head all the way back to his and Nepeta's apartment. Their apartment was cozy, cozy being the polite way of saying small. The kitchen and living room were basically the same thing, the only thing diving them was a small half-wall. The TV was pushed into the corner and there was a well-worn loveseat and two beanbags surrounding it. The two roommates placed the groceries on the counter and started to unload the groceries.

As he put the milk away, Equius felt a tiny finger poke him in the back.

"Yes?" Equius turned around and found himself caught in a hug. Because he was so big, and because she had tiny arms, she couldn't wrap her arms completely around him, but she still held on tight.

"Are you alright?"

She mumbled something into his chest.

"Come again?"

"Don't do that again," she said. She looked up and Equius could see the worry in her big green eyes.

"I don't want you could get hurt."

The dark skinned man felt his heart grow heavy. He hated the sight of his best friend being sad, and realized how worried she must have been. If he couldn't stand to see her sad, he didn't want to think about what would happen if she came as close to being hurt as he had. He wrapped his big arms around the small girl.

"I'm so sorry Nepeta," he said, resting his chin on top of her head. He felt her let out a sigh.

"It's okay." She pulled away and he saw she was smiling. He was surprised when she suddenly flicked him on the nose.

"Just don't do that again you silly-head!"

Equius rubbed his nose, but felt a smile on his face as Nepeta ran to the couch and jumped over it.

"Come on! My Little Pony is starting!" she said as she turned on the television. Equius wasted no time in joining his roommate on the loveseat as she flipped the channel to the show. Both of them loved the show, but it was an especially guilty pleasure for Equius, who was as obsessed with horses as Nepeta was with cats.

Two episodes later, the man felt a weight on his shoulder, and saw Nepeta had fallen asleep. Once the credits rolled, he turned off the television and gingerly picked up his roommate careful not to wake her. Nepeta was as light as a feather as Equius carried her to her bedroom. He tucked her in and went back to the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and poured himself a glass of milk. As he guzzled down the delicious dairy product, he glanced at the clock. He noticed that he and Nepeta had only been home for an hour, and for whatever reason, it crossed his mind that the party at the old theatre was probably still going on. He straightened his back and threw the glass into the sink.

His body seemed to move on its own as he laced up his boots and raced out of the apartment.

It was not the first thought that had him charging out of the apartment, but the thought that immediately followed it.

If that party was still going on, perhaps _**she **_was still there as well.

It was that miniscule chance that had him running out of the apartment building and into the night.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: WELL LOOK AT ALL THAT'S HAPPENED!**

**And that's just chapter one! I hope you liked this my darlings and I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible. Some of you who may be reading my Gamtav fic "Home is Where Your Love Is," may have noticed some slight similarities when talking about Nepeta working at the pet shop and mention of a certain "homeless guy". That is because this is the same Nepeta! dundunDUHHHH no this is not a sequel, nor do you have to read HIWYLI (But seriously read it XD) I just thought it would be interesting it I made both fics belong to the same AU. Think of it as them being parallel fics, independent from each other. **


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